


Betrayal

by sunset_oasis



Series: Innocent Before Yesterday [11]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Voldemort Wins, Deathly Hallows AU, F/M, Harry died Voldemort Wins AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-11
Updated: 2017-05-11
Packaged: 2018-10-30 15:45:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10879938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunset_oasis/pseuds/sunset_oasis
Summary: "Why would you help us?" She asked.Peter hesitated.  He wondered what to tell her. To tell her that he was tired of everything? To tell her that he'd wanted to do at least one thing right, after all this time? To tell her that how she was willing to betray the Dark Lord to save her son somehow compelled him to help her? To tell her that he'd always admired her, loved her from afar even?"For Sirius," he finally said.





	Betrayal

**Author's Note:**

> disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

She woke up to the pains of residual cruciatus curse. Memories of the Dark Lord _crucio_ ing her flooded back, and she tried to stretch into a more comfortable position, grimacing to herself as her whole body ached. She then realized that her wrists and legs were bounded to the bed with robes.

"Careful," a voice said, "you've got several broken ribs."

Narcissa turned to around to see Peter Pettigrew, his expression emotionless and unreadable, and the first thing that came to her mind was, "Where's Draco?"

He studied her carefully before replying, but not really answering the question, "I don't know, but probably in less immediate danger than you are, as he wasn't the one who lied to the Lord about Potter's death."

She narrowed her eyes, remembering how she'd put her hope in Harry Potter to end all this, and then Potter had gotten himself killed again, this time for real. Her strategic gamble for Draco's safety, for a safer world to live in, had failed, and now landed her and her family in a fatal position. She remembered how the Dark Lord had killed Potter and subsequently taken over, and how he hadn't forgotten to deal with her action of betrayal, her lie about Potter's faked death.

Her family's standing among the Death Eater ranks had been fragile for quite a while, but a direct betrayal was apparently of a new level completely. The Dark Lord hadn't killed her, but instead just _crucio_ ed her and imprisoned her in the dungeons of her own home, with Peter Pettigrew as her guard.

She could guess the Dark Lord's logic here - the Malfoys had always been held a high position in the Death Eater inner circle before Lucius's failed mission at the Department of Mysteries, while Pettigrew had always been looked down upon by most of the Death Eaters, despite his help in the resurrection of the Dark Lord - of how humiliating it would be to put a Malfoy in the mercy of Peter Pettigrew.

But now, she didn't care about her pride that much any more, nor her comfort or even her death. "Tell the Lord that this was my mistake only, and Draco isn't to blame." She paused before forcing out. "Please."

He snorted slightly and she forced down her anger, it wouldn't help to antagonize her warden. "You should know that it would be unwise. Showing him that your son is your priority would only make the Lord go after him."

Narcissa felt despair and anger boiling inside her, but she had admit that Pettigrew had a point.

She wondered how had everything spiraled so out of control.

 

* * *

 

Peter watched Narcissa Malfoy.

Despite being bound to an uncomfortable bed in the dungeon of her own home, despite looking tortured and tired and worn, there was still some sort of regal beauty in her. Perhaps it was a Malfoy thing, he thought, or maybe a Black thing.

_Or probably it was just her._

He'd always found her beautiful, from their school days when she'd been four years above the Marauders to the Death Eater days. Narcissa Malfoy aged rather well, and had always managed an air of elegance.

The Dark Lord had already told him he could 'do anything to her', but Peter knew he wouldn't. She'd always been sort of untouchable to him, forever _beautiful_ and _graceful_ and _dignified_ and out of his reach. Even as she lied bounded now, seemingly at his mercy, he knew he wouldn't.

He knew that Narcissa Malfoy had at least betrayed the Dark Lord to save her _son_ , rather unlike him, who'd only ever betrayed his friends to save _himself_. He could at least respect that her betrayal was way more worthy than his ever had been.

She might be at his mercy right now, but she'd forever be out of his league. He wouldn't do anything to her.

But maybe, maybe he could do something _for_ her.

 

* * *

 

Pettigrew showed up with a portkey on the third week of her imprisonment. Narcissa frowned at it suspiciously, and he explained he'd gotten from a member of the resistance. "A Mundungus Fletcher arranged it for me." But he wouldn't say more about the specifics. "I'll try to see if I could get your son to visit. Probably tell the Lord that it might motivate him to be more loyal to the cause by seeing me torture you."

"Why would you help us?" she couldn't help ask. "And what about Lucius?"

"I doubt that I could get both of them to visit at the same time," he said, bluntly, "and the Dark Lord would probably fear Lucius could outwit me and rescue you or something. And we can't get other Death Eaters to come and watch over if we're planning for an escape."

She nodded and repeated, "Why are you helping us, though?"

 

* * *

 

Peter hesitated.

He wondered what to tell her. To tell her that he was tired of everything? To tell her that he'd wanted to do at least one thing right, after all this time? To tell her that how she was willing to betray the Dark Lord to save her son somehow compelled him to help her? To tell her that he'd always admired her, loved her from afar even?

"For Sirius," he finally said, which wasn't exactly untrue anyway. "You might've never liked your cousin, but you can see this as repaying ... to the Black family."

 

* * *

 

It took another few days before Pettigrew finally brought Draco to visit. After letting them have a quick reunion, Pettigrew gave them the portkey.

"This leads to somewhere near the resistance current base. They should probably be willing to keep you and your son safe because some people should still remember how you lied to the Lord about Potter from the battle." He hesitated. "I suppose this is goodbye, then."

"You're not coming?" She asked.

 

* * *

 

Peter shrugged, suddenly very tired. "No. They might be willing to protect you and your son, but I doubt the same holds for me."

"If the Dark Lord finds out -"

He cut across her, "I've made plans for it. Just go."

He'd known that the Dark Lord would be furious at him losing the prisoner, and would probably hunt him down for punishment. It didn't help that the Manor was now warded against Animagus Transformation. Since he didn't plan to seek help from the resistance, and since he was so damn tired of it all, there left only one option.

As Narcissa and Draco Malfoy portkeyed away, Peter took a deep breath, and pointed his wand at himself.

" _Avada Kedavra._ "

**Author's Note:**

> find me on [tumblr](http://ff-sunset-oasis.tumblr.com)


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